Games have provided a social context in which people can interact and have fun. One type of game that is particularly engaging socially are “circle” games, where players will gather around a central horizontal play area that is visible to all players, and interact with the central horizontal play area and with each other. Such players are often as few as two (as is the case with chess or checkers), but may be as many as a dozen or more. Board games are circle games in which the board serves as the central horizontal play area. However, there are other circle games that have a central play area that is not a board. For instance, many card games can be played directly on the surface of a table or other flat surface. Many circle games involve the players manipulating objects on or proximate the play area. For example, many circle games require the player to role dice, start a timer, spin a spinner, play cards, move pieces, and so forth, depending on the game. Many circle games also involve the user maintaining a private area that is viewable to only the player (and perhaps fellow team members).
Circle games have existed for thousands of years across diverse cultures. New circle games arise to meet the social needs and interests of the community, while old circle games go out of use as society loses interest. Many believe that circle games provide a significantly greater opportunity for social development than other types of conventional video games that are gaining in popularity. The contribution of circle games to society should not be ignored, but often is.
Circle games can provide an impetus for bringing families, friends, and other significant social groups together and fostering important human relationships. Children wait with great eagerness to engage with others in circle games. The types of circle games that individuals enjoy may change as one grows older and may differ between population segments. Nevertheless, circle games draw people together with the immediate hope of engaging others in a test of skill, while the horizontal play area provides a subtle and significant side-benefit in permitting channels of communication to be opened, as players are positioned to face each other. Many have experienced that the conversation migrates to topics beyond the scope of the game itself, often resulting in a level of conversation that is greater than particular individuals might be inclined to engage in without the circle game. The benefit to society in encouraging individuals to come together in circle games is often underestimated and not fully recognized in a society in which people choose more and more to absorb themselves in virtual worlds.